Improvement in sewing-machine attachments



I P; P. FERNANDEZ. Sewing-Machine Attachment.

'No. 212,671. Patented Feb. 25, 1879.

' WITNESS WEMOR:

% BY My ATTORNEYS.

NIFETERS, PHOTmLITHOGRAPMER. WASNINGTON, u. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PEDRO F. FERNANDEZ, OF SAN JUAN, PORTO RICO.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENTS.

Specification forming part ofLctters Patent No. 212,671, dated February 25, 1879 application filed November 21, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEDRO F. FERNANDEZ, of San Juan, in Porto Rico, have invented a new and Improved Soaping Attachment for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to furnish a device which may be attached to sewing-machines for the purpose of soaping or waxing the thread as it passes to the needle, so as to obtain a uniform stitch and tension, thereby avoiding the tedious process of soaping the seams heretofore necessary when sewing dressed materials or in using sill: thread.

The invention consists of a frame adapted to be clamped to the arm of a sewii'lg-machine by a thumbscrew, and provided with a sliding plate and thumb-screw in its upper part, between which plate and one of the side plates of the frame the soap or wax is clamped.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the attachment clamped to a sewingmachine arm. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an interior view of one side plate, showing the roughened surface.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a represents the fixed arm of a sewingmachine of any usual character. A is any soaping attachment, clamped to arm a by a thumb-screw, b. The attachment consists of side plates, 0 c, united by a cross-bar, (l, which rests on the upper side of arm a, and the ends of plates 0 below bar cl pass at the sides of arm a. In one of these ends or legs the thumbscrew b is held.

The ends of plates 0 above bar (l form a holder for the soap, (shown at e.)

fis a loose plate, held in place by guides 9, that pass through one plate; 0 and h is a thumb-screw, held in plate 0 so that its inner end bears against plate f, which may thereby be clamped against the piece, a, of soap more or less tightly, to retain the soap in place and move it along as fast as used up.

The thread (represented at l) bears upon the upper side of the soap c, and, as it is drawn along during the sewing operation, becomes soaped to the desired extent. The thread will after a while out through to the bottom of the piece, 6, of soap, when the thread may be lifted out and thumb-screw It turned to join the sides of the cut made by the thread. The thread can then be replaced, and in this way the whole piece of soap is gradually used up By the use of the attachment described the thread is regularly and uniformly soaped, and the trouble experienced from unequal tension and breaking of thread in sewing dressed fabrics, such as prepared shirting, and in using silk thread, is avoided, and there is no necessity of soaping the seams, as has heretofore been usual.

I prefer to use hard castile-soap, but do not limit myself in that particular, as bees-Wax, stearic candle composition, or other substances may be used.

The surface of each plate 0 and j which is in contact with the soap will be indented or roughened, (see Fig. 3,) so that they will take a firm hold and prevent the soap from slipping when out in two by the thread.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The herein-described soap or wax holder for sewing-machines, consisting of the plates 0 c, united by the bar or plate d, the plate f, provided with the guide-pins g, and the thumbscrews 1) h, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

PEDRO F. FERNANDEZ.

Witnesses EDWARD GoNRoY,

U. S. Consul. W. H. LATIMER,

Consul of The Netherlands. 

